IT'S RELEVANT ORIGINAL

Stanwich School Unveils Iconic School Bell

In celebration of Charter Day

Stanwich School threw the ultimate sweet sixteen Friday morning. Dressed in decorative hats, the school celebrated "Charter Day," the anniversary of when Stanwich received its charter from the state to become a school.

"When I came to Stanwich, I was a charter student. So I had the opportunity to be a part of a lot of firsts for Stanwich," says Keynote Speaker James Grasso. "But while today Stanwich looks impressively huge and sophisticated to me, the things that are most important haven't really changed at all, I realize now that all the Stanwich lessons I learned so clearly are the ones that really stay with you for life."

The morning was full of song and school spirit but a highlight was the unveiling of a school bell that belonged to North Cos Cob School, a one room schoolhouse that originally inhabited Stanwich's property. The iconic bell was donated to Stanwich School by the Dommerich family who built an estate on the property in 1914 after the one room schoolhouse closed.

"And if you notice a little tower and in that tower was a school bell and it rang every day and it ushered in the kids," describes Head of School Paul Geise. "150 years ago on this property there were school children just like you."

"I remember there was a school house here, I don't remember seeing it and then I heard they were looking for the bell and I knew exactly where it was," says Mac Dommerich, descendant of the family who donated the bell. "My sister passed away and it was in Oregon but I talked to her husband about it and everyone agreed it was a great idea to give it to the school in memory of Debbie, so everybody is excited about it and very happy about it."

The bell will be rung for the first time in May when Stanwich School celebrates its first graduating class of seniors.